Page 84 of Where Roads Lead

“Um, hi!” I waved when I caught the next person watching me from behind the bread display.

You would’ve thought I was a zoo exhibit they hadn’t imagined had the capacity for language, what with the way they gaped at me.

Either that, or they expected me to go along pretending I didn’t notice that nearly everyone in the store was watching me.

But then, I had always been one to challenge the expectations people set for me.

When no one responded, and instead busied themselves with pretending to finish their shopping, I made my way to the checkout.

Setting the basket down, I pulled out the few measly food items I procured, the bag of cat food and all the necessary litter items and box a cat might need to relieve themselves, in case my guest happened to be a frequent visitor.

I hoped I wasn’t on track to becoming a cat lady, but I had to admit, it got lonely at the house. I wouldn’t mind someone to come home to every night.

As long as he didn’t have fleas, I scrunched up my nose at the thought, hoping that he wasn’t already laying on my bed with whatever outdoor germs he likely carried.

“So, you’re the new girl, huh?” The cashier blew a bubble.

Otherwise bored with her task of ringing up my items, she looked mildly interested in giving me the once over.

“Uh, yeah. I am.” I tried to smile.

“I take it you’re liking it pretty well?” She smiled knowingly, though I wasn’t in on whatever secret she acted like existed between us.

“It’s fine,” I said. “I haven’t met too many people. I’ve been housebound mostly, working on—” I wanted to say my writing, but thought it sounded pretentious.

I mean, what would I even say if they asked any follow-up questions?

What do you write? A novel based on the tragic misfortunes of my life.

Written anything I’ve heard of? No.

Have you published anything at all? Not yet.

Gosh, I needed to get it together. I could not leave this town without finishing what I’d set out to do. This would not be yet another project I left half finished.

Out of everything in my life, this was the one thing in my control, and damn it, I had to see it through, even if it never lead to anything greater.

But the cashier didn’t mind my half complete sentence because she was already continuing the conversation.

“Huh, not the way I heard it.” She shrugged, as if maybe she’d gotten it wrong.

“What way did you hear it?”

“I hear you’ve been seeing Will Hughes.”

“Seeing him?” I asked, eyes widening. “As in…seeing him, seeing him?”

Her face scrunched up in confusion. “I think so?”

“Ha!” I let out a boisterous laugh. “Absolutely not. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. He hates me! Well, not anymore. But he did for a while. Now, we’re just reluctant allies of sorts.”

“Reluctant allies?” Her confusion reached new heights. “What, like you play D&D together or something?”

“No!” I hurried to clarify, but she cut me off.

“I mean, I guess that would be a better explanation for why you guys spent the night together at the café. Everyone thought you two were seeing each other, but I said to them, why would they sleep in the café instead of Will’s house? I mean, clearly Will’s no Romeo, but the café is hardly the place a man would take a woman for a romantic night out—”

“Wait, what!” I nearly yelled in her face. “Everyone knows about that?”